Indian Athletes Shine at Asian Indoor Athletics Championships

Posted on by Vividh Bharthi

Mumbai: India’s Jyothi Yarraji and Tajinderpal Singh Toor etched their names in the record books while Harmilan Bains secured victory, propelling India to a triumphant start with three gold medals on the inaugural day of the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships in Tehran, Iran.

Jyothi Yarraji blazed to glory in the women’s 60m hurdles, clinching gold with a remarkable performance, clocking 8.12 seconds to set a new National Record. Her stellar achievement surpassed her own previous record of 8.13 seconds, set during the Asian Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, in February 2023.

Meanwhile, Tajinderpal Singh Toor showcased his prowess in the men’s shot put event, delivering an exceptional throw of 19.72 meters to secure the gold medal. Toor’s impressive feat not only earned him the top spot but also saw him shatter the indoor National Record, previously held by Olympian Vikas Gowda.

Adding to India’s medal haul, Harmilan Bains stamped her authority in the women’s 1500m event, crossing the finish line in 4:29.55 to claim gold. Her victory marked a splendid start for India in the 2024 edition of the championships.

Jyothi Yarraji’s dominance in the hurdles arena was once again on display, with her consistent record-breaking performances both domestically and internationally. The 24-year-old athlete from Visakhapatnam has continually raised the bar, setting and surpassing the national record multiple times.

In the field events, Shaili Singh and Nayana James showcased their talent in the long jump final, securing fifth and sixth place, respectively, contributing valuable points to India’s overall standing.

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Delhi wakes up to ‘severe’ air quality as light rain fails to bring relief

New Delhi, Dec 24 (IANS) The air quality in the national capital plummeted to the ‘severe’ category, with an average AQI of 401 recorded at 7 a.m. on Tuesday despite a spell of light rain

The highest Air Quality Index (AQI) was reported at the Bawana station (455), while the IHBAS Dilshad Garden station recorded the lowest at 222, placing it in the “poor” category. Prominent areas like Rohini (451), Anand Vihar (442), and Punjabi Bagh (431) also reported “severe” air quality, while Shadipur registered the lowest among the “very poor” category at 360.

Adding to the environmental concerns, Delhi experienced a chilly morning with a minimum temperature of 10.8 degrees Celcius recorded at 5.30 a.m. Light rain and a drop in temperature further accentuated the winter chill. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasted a generally cloudy sky with the possibility of light rain or drizzle, alongside a yellow alert for fog. The maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to hover around 20 and 8 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Thick fog continued to blanket parts of the city, significantly reducing visibility.

Despite the implementation of Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across the NCR since December 16, air quality remains hazardous. GRAP Stage IV measures are among the most stringent to curb pollution levels.

As per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), AQI levels between 401 and 450 are classified as “severe”, while those above 450 fall into the “severe plus” category.

The Supreme Court recently directed Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to impose a firecracker ban akin to Delhi’s and emphasised stringent implementation of GRAP and the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. The apex court also ordered NCR states to deploy teams at Delhi’s entry points to monitor compliance with GRAP IV measures.

Residents are increasingly reporting health issues related to the pollution, including respiratory problems and eye irritation. The combination of thick fog, and toxic air has made life challenging for the people of Delhi, with many calling for stronger and more effective measures to combat the crisis.

–IANS

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Tabling of CAG reports: Delhi HC to hear tomorrow BJP legislators’ plea for special Assembly sitting (Ld)

New Delhi, Dec 23 (IANS) The Delhi High Court is set to hear on Tuesday a plea filed by several BJP legislators seeking a direction to the Speaker of the Delhi Legislative Assembly to call for a special sitting for the tabling of the CAG reports.

As per the causelist published on the website of the Delhi High Court, a bench of Justice Sanjeev Narula will hear the matter on December 24.

Earlier in the day, the plea filed by Opposition MLAs was mentioned before Acting Chief Justice (ACJ) Vibhu Bakhru, who directed the plea to be listed in the ordinary course.

The much-delayed CAG reports purportedly talk about the alleged lapses of the city government related to the now-withdrawn excise policy, anti-pollution drive and other matters of state finances that may cause embarrassment to the AAP-led government just before the Assembly polls.

The latest plea filed by BJP MLAs Vijender Gupta, Mohan Singh Bisht, Om Prakash Sharma, Ajay Kumar Mahawar, Abhay Verma, Anil Bajpai and Jitender Mahajan said that a special sitting of the Delhi Legislative Assembly was not called by the Speaker despite a statement made before the Delhi High Court in an earlier round of litigation.

“This is a clear violation of the statement/undertaking given by the Senior Counsel on behalf of the GNCTD before this Hon’ble Court for which the petitioners reserve their rights to move contempt of court if advised,” it said.

Last week, the Delhi HC disposed of BJP legislators’ plea seeking direction to the city government to forward CAG reports to the Lt. Governor (L-G) after it was told that L-G Vinai Kumar Saxena has approved the 14 CAG reports forwarded by Chief Minister Atishi.

It noted that Chief Minister Atishi, who also holds the portfolio of Finance Minister, will forward within 2-3 days these approved reports to the Speaker of the Delhi Legislative Assembly, who in turn, will promptly take a call on holding a special session for laying down the CAG reports.

The petition had said that the CAG is a “constitutional watchdog” created with the objective of providing independent and credible assurance to the public, the legislature and the executive that the public funds are being collected and used effectively and efficiently.

–IANS

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